Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exciting ocean fantasy adventure starts series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
When Sapphire and Conor's dad mysteriously disappears, most people believe he's dead. Ever hopeful, Conor begins sneaking off to the ocean to look for him. Sapphire follows and discovers a world of wonder, excitement, and danger that their family is strangely connected to. Could her new friends lead to her father?
Is It Any Good?
The first in a series, this is the kind of book that gets kids excited about reading. Helen Dunmore weaves an exciting, masterful tale of mermaids, mystery, and mythology. She keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they journey with Sapphy and Conor through the world of Ingo. What is this new place and how is it connected to Sapphy and Conor's father, and to them? How can they find him without getting lost themselves? Dunmore keeps readers guessing while treating them to beautiful scenery and fantastic adventures.
Character development is key to a good story and Dunmore allows her characters to mature as they become involved in more adult circumstances. Sapphy grows from being carried like a child in the first chapter to a person able to harness the power of Ingo. Her relationship with her brother changes and strengthens. They both recognize strengths and weaknesses in each other and readers will be drawn to their vulnerability and curiosity. Sapphy narrates the story with quick wit and a realism readers will enjoy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about using the rationale of "the ends justifying the means." Faro believed it was OK to do anything to protect the ocean against pollution and human interference. Was he correct? When have you seen people use this rationale?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date : August 8, 2008
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 10
- Number of pages : 336
- Last updated : July 13, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate